When setting out on a design thinking project it is important that the design team and the organization understand their roles in the project, what is required of them, and when, so that effective resource planning and scheduling can take place.
what is it
The Challenge Roadmap is a first draft, high-level project plan that will help your team develop the project implementation plan.
why is it important
A clear focus is needed to direct the design team activities. The Challenge Roadmap summarizes this. By developing the roadmap together the design team collectively understand and buy-in to their tasks and activities and understand how the team members contribute to the overall success of the design project. It also identifies when key stakeholders need to be involved, to add their expertise and knowledge, and buy-in and sign-off the the design as part of the ongoing consultation process
how to do it
- Estimate the overall length of time that will be required for the design project. This may link to company goals and time frames e.g within a business planning cycle. Break the overall timescale down into the proposed stages of the project within the design thinking process i.e. Discovery; Define; Develop; Deliver
- Decide WHAT tasks need to be delivered within each stage - Use post-it notes to bullet-point each section across the roadmap
- Identify WHY each task task / activity is important to the overall project – Use post-it notes to write down these comments and post on the relevant section of the roadmap
- Determine WHO is responsible for each task / activity listed - Use post-it notes to write down those responsible and post on the relevant section of the roadmap
- Determine which Stakeholders need to be involved in each stage of the project - Use post-it notes to write down those responsible and post on the relevant section of the roadmap
Links for further reading
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